Moopy Book Club

[adam jay]

I'm glad I amused someone.

'Birdsong' is bloody fantastic. And I have Patrick to thank for that recommendation.

I'm currently reading 'Monkey' by Wu Ch'Eng-En (or characters to that effect). I doubt many would remember the dubbed series on TV.

this is also sat in front of me...!! alas, unread also.
i started a short history of tractors in ukrainian, which is going okay - to read still are geisha of a gion ( golden wrote memoir's of a geisha using advice and help from a geisha, this is the book she wrote after being unsatisfied with his story& twisting of some traditions), labyrinth by kate mosses, stalin by simon montague and the historian, by elizabeth kostova, never gonna happen, innit.

BUTTT i have just seen empress orchid by anchee min on my shelf, which i read recently ( can't think where/when ), and i really enjoyed that...!! i give it a six out of ten. x

[Little My]

'Short History of Tractors in Ukranian' I bought just because I liked the cover. And then found it to be quite enjoyable. A bitter/sweet but light read. Just what I needed at the time but I suppose it depends on what your looking for. Wasn't that fussed about her follow up though - 'Two Caravans'. Nice enough but nowhere near as good. IMO.

I may just check out 'Memoir's of a Geisha'.

[Dark Carnival]

I read two Neil Gaiman books last month





Both AMAZING. Though I prefered Neverwhere.

[Toyah]

[Kate]

I have asked for a Caribbean cookbook for Christmas, I wonder if I will get that

[Floppet]

I'm currently reading 'Monkey' by Wu Ch'Eng-En (or characters to that effect). I doubt many would remember the dubbed series on TV.

One of my favourite programmes when I was a child .

[Floppet]

I'm currently reading all of the Gunslinger series by Stephen King again. Up to book 3, The Waste Lands.

[jivafox]

I wanna get Stephen King's new one, "Under The Dome". The reviews have been surprisingly good. Only thing it's so bloody BIG and HEAVY and I HATE that in a book.

[Little My]

One of my favourite programmes when I was a child .

We should so have been brother and sister!

It's quite a light read as it goes. You find out how he hooks up with Pigsy and Sandy. A little repetitive in its morals... but I'm happy.

I certainly wouldn't class it as a classic but a lot depends on translation I suppose.

[Floppet]

We should so have been brother and sister!

It's quite a light read as it goes. You find out how he hooks up with Pigsy and Sandy. A little repetitive in its morals... but I'm happy.

I certainly wouldn't class it as a classic but a lot depends on translation I suppose.

I assume you aren't reading it in chinese? I might have a look on Amazon for it.

I still can, and do, sing the theme tune (usually when I'm in the bath and get fed up of "The Song that doesn't End). Have you watched the film "The Forbidden Kingdom" with Jet Li and Jackie Chan? Very similar storyline.

[Little My]

I assume you aren't reading it in chinese? I might have a look on Amazon for it.

I still can, and do, sing the theme tune (usually when I'm in the bath and get fed up of "The Song that doesn't End). Have you watched the film "The Forbidden Kingdom" with Jet Li and Jackie Chan? Very similar storyline.

No, luckily I have a translated version! (Penguin Books). Although watching the programme conjures up images of the Ferrero Roche advert - 'Ambassador, you are really spoiling us'.

I can't even remember the theme tune I still wave 2 fingers in front of my mouth whilst blowing though! Just to call down my cloud you understand.

Never seen that film but have noted it and will look out for it.

[Floppet]

Monkey theme tune just for you Little My! Step back in time and enjoy!

[Little My]

'Funkiest Monkey that ever popped'!

Just had to sing along.

You've lost me for the evening now as I listen to clips! And reminisce.

[Little My]

Can't believe they they say 'pooftah' in the 'COWARD' clip!

*Repeat this show now*

[adam jay]

finished tractors, was okay read, nothing that's going to change the world there.
am reading a book by william nicholson called the 'wind singer' now, its quite teeny though. x

[Diddy]

I dont know why but I bought the Flashforward book on Wednesday, i've finished it already

it's less shit than the TV show (and totally different apart from the premise and some key plot twists), but not exactly ROCKET SURGERY

[VoR]

Diana Athill is 92 and has been a well regarded publisher and occasional memoir writer. This book is basically an examination of what it's like to be very old. Which sounds horribly maudlin but it's REALLY REALLY not. Athill is almost completely without self-pity, very honest, witty and one of the best no-nonsense memoirists I've ever come across. I really cannot recommend it highly enough, a really inspiring and FUN read. I want her to be my gran.

[dUb]

I am reading this and I LOVE IT

[delirium]

I came into this thread thinking that I wanted a recommendation.

Needless to say, I will be getting that Kathy Griffin book FORTHWITH.

[TurnerPrize]

I'm not sure how long i'll last with it, but i found out last week (after 22 years of being alive) that my boring old dad is actually the inspiration and namesake for a detective character in a series of slightly ropey seeming 1980s murder mystery books. So i am now reading this -



Hats off to Pete Turnbull for not killing the old fella off.

[delirium]

And LOL at the difference between VoR and dUb's recommendations.

[RobotBoy]

I'm currently reading this, and I make no apologies for it.



It's really embarrassing reading it on the tube though. I wish they'd make a male-friendly cover for blockbuster chick-lit, like the adult covers for Harry Potter.

[delirium]

But are YOU having the time of your life?

[RobotBoy]

But are YOU having the time of your life?

As soon as I start dancing the Charleston, YES!

[henZ]

I am reading this and I LOVE IT

I just downloaded this as an audiobook (she reads it herself, so D-list ) and I can't wait to listen to it.

Unfortunately my iPod doesn't work so it won't be anytime soon.

[Loufoque]

I've been trying to keep it a bit HIGHER BROW than usual and have enjoyed THIS over the last two dayzzz

[Sild]

The title pretty much sums up how I found reading it.

[Sild]

Utter FILTH. It's no replacement for hearing Sir Terry reading the stories on air, but just imagining/remembering him doing so makes them even funnier.



Perhaps a little too grim at times with Adrian detailing his treatment for cancer, and despite agreeing with Townsend's political broadsides at the start they suffer from being delivered in too heavy-handed a way for the character we know so well. For the most part though, it's a fine addition to the Mole canon. The old book-selling drunk Bernard Hopkins is the best new addition, and all the scenes with Mr Carlton-Hayes (and 'is it a man/is it a woman?' his companion Leslie) remain quietly tender. It's still my favourite series of books ever, and if Townsend's health allows her to keep producing them I'll be one contented man.

[monsta]

Just to lower the tone again, the Kathy Griffin book is brilliant. Unlike a load of old celeb tat she really does say what she thinks and its all the more refreshing for it. The chapter on her brother is just

[delirium]

Has anyone reviewed 'The Road'? I don't want to read through 17 MILLION posts but I found it very good and read it in less than 24 hours. I will do a proper review if anyone is interested.

9/10

[jivafox]

I'm halfway through "Under The Dome" by Stephen King and it's much better than I expected but OMG it's just frustrating me. He's built some really nasty characters in this one and I kind of want to get to the end so i can see them all (hopefully) perish horribly.

[Cécile]

Never before have I read a book as outrageous as this! It is a story about World War II and the Eastern Front, through the fictional memories of Maximilien Aue, a SS-officer. With over a 950 pages, it made me feel disgusted and sad but at the same time parts of it made me laugh as well. I somehow even warmed to Aue in the end. It's really been an eye-opener just because a book like this has never been written before. I can highly recommend it!

[Nathalie Tauziat's Analpony]

I'm currently reading 'Half The Sky' it was one of the recommended books on JP Morgan's website so before I went for my interview I thought I'd start reading it.

I would post a picture but the cover is just brown :/

It's quite interesting about the empowerment of women and prostituion etc. The only annoying thing is I just got it out of the library and someone put a request in for it hence it's due back today, I've only had it 3 days! and got 47 pages in!

[jivafox]

I'm currently reading this, and I make no apologies for it.



It's really embarrassing reading it on the tube though. I wish they'd make a male-friendly cover for blockbuster chick-lit, like the adult covers for Harry Potter.

is that GOOD? the first shopaholic book had me rolling with laughter and books rarely do that for me, and i keep meaning to pick up her other stuff.

[VoR]

I found this book absolutely fascinating. I've always had an interest in Jewish culture, and this book about the relatively closed off Jewish community in Hendon, London is a real eye-opener. The way Alderman writes about the traditions and parables that guide Jewish life are really beautiful as well as informative. She clearly has a lot of affection for her faith, despite the fact that she's not Orthodox. The contrast between these sections of the book and the very modern, informal style of the main narrator Ronit is quite jarring at first, but once you get used to it it's a pretty effective device. My only problem is that Ronit is a little too Americanised, to the point of being irritating. But her lack of self-awareness is a deliberate plot decvice as you get her intepretation of the feelings of those around her when she returns to Hendon after many years for her father's funeral, and then the actual feelings of the other two central characters, which are often very different.

I wasn't 100% satisfied with the conclusion either, which felt a little too neat and short sighted, but there's some really fantastic writing in this book. Her blog is an interesting read too, I'll definitely be reading her second novel when it's published later this year.

8/10

[Sild]

A big update, as it's been a while:



Nowhere near as good as the critics proclaimed it to be, it was overlong and not that scary. The writing for the male voices was excellent though, and with no lesbains in sight.



Awful, full of hideous unlikeable characters. Nearly as bad as How To Be Good.



Crisp's tales work much better on screen rather than page, but still a worthwhile read.



Very much hit and miss - with the emphasis on miss. After 4 years or so anyway this wasn't up to scratch from a writer capable of greatness like Ishiguro.

[jivafox]

I got halfway through The Little Stranger before I had to give it back. I might not bother finishing it then!

I'm currently re-reading lots of Bret Easton Ellis in anticipation for his new book next month

[Gavin]

Yeah, i practically pissed my knickers when i heard Ishiguro was publishing a book of short stories called 'Nocturnes' - it sounded like an enchanting literary prospect. What i love about Ishiguro is that he delivers profound sentiment with such delicacy and nuance that his wistful, often meandering narratives can pivot on a single phrase which just makes the whole story radiate from all corners. It's magical. Unfortunately, 'Nocturnes' was written so passively that it barely managed to exist as an expression of anything. My only niggle is, perhaps, that was the point. It will torture me....

Still. Didn't really enjoy it either way.

[Sild]

As ever, we are of the same mind Gavin. EXCELLENT.

[Frozen]

I'm being all mainstream and reading "The Girl Who Played With Fire" after whizzing through "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo"